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16 May, 8 tweets, 3 min read
Take a break and dive into the minute world of chemical reactions. Using infrared thermal imaging techniques and high-speed and time-lapse microphotography, Wenting Zhu and Yan Liang explore the molecular beauty of the elements surrounding us 1/ wired.trib.al/Q8hTR8m
Behold the beauty of chromium chloride and sodium hydroxide swapping ions. The positively charged chromium and negatively charged hydroxide molecules form tight bonds, freezing them into place and producing a solid that doesn’t have room for its water molecules to fit neatly 2/
These odd-looking rings show what happens when silver nitrate is added to potassium dichromate. The two compounds trade ions, forming silver chromate. Many scientists believe the substance then becomes supersaturated and diffuses to create a chemical, circular pile-up zone 3/
Potassium permanganate is an ultra-positively charged compound known as an oxidizing agent. In a sugar solution, the oxygen pulls electrons from the sugar molecules, creating a “redox” reaction. As permanganate gains electrons, it begins to change color 4/
This branch of ammonium iron sulfate is suspended within a chemical garden—a silicate solution full of dissolved iron salts. As iron salts trade ions with the surrounding solution and solidify, they form a thin, hollow membrane with a water-filled interior 5/
This is what happens when an electrode is placed into a petri dish with a potassium dichromate solution. The steady flow of extra electrons bond with the positively charged potassium ions, causing them to solidify in elaborate fractal patterns 6/
For more stunning photos—and science!—go here: 7/ wired.trib.al/Q8hTR8m
Want to future-proof yourself? Subscribe to WIRED for less than $1 per month and get unlimited access to our long-form features and tech news 8/ wired.trib.al/BMxcvqp

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More from @WIRED

17 May
Forget snakes on a plane. How about a robot snake in a pool?

Carnegie Mellon roboticists approximated the biomechanics of a serpent—then loaded the thing with propellers. The result is a bot the US Navy might use to inspect ships and submarines 1/ wired.trib.al/csEMNB7
Unlike a sea snake, which uses its whole sinuous body to swim, this robot uses modular pieces of itself to maneuver. Its aft thruster produces forward movement while its lateral thrusters offer stability control. Also unlike a sea snake, it has a camera on its face 2/
At the moment, the robot’s swimming isn’t particularly sophisticated, but the team’s idea is to refine the algorithms that control its movement by using machine learning: By building a digital version of the robot in simulation, an AI can try many ways of swimming 3/
Read 7 tweets
15 May
The Cicadas have returned. Known as Brood X, these insects tunnel through dark soil, feeding on sap until they emerge from the earth. While some people just want to be rid of them, restaurants are having a different reaction: Grab a knife and fork. 1/ wired.trib.al/jevIuEn
Brood X offers something beyond noise and wonder. It offers a source of free-range, no-cost, eco-friendly protein—one so good that chefs are already out foraging with plans to add cicadas to the menu. 2/
Around the world, edible insects have been a part of rich culinary traditions for years, from Mexico’s crunchy chapulines to beondegi, Korea’s silkworm pupae street food. Not only is it cost-efficient, but it’s also environmentally friendly. 3/
Read 8 tweets
14 May
The #PS5 is well on its way to being a success story for @Sony. By the end of March, the company had sold 7.8 million of the new video game consoles worldwide—enough, in both units and dollars, to make it the biggest console launch in US history. 1/ wired.trib.al/BoVOIdM
Bigger than the Nintendo Wii. Bigger than the Xbox One. Bigger than even the PS4. 2/
But success hasn’t come without some challenges. It’s been particularly difficult to keep up with the high demand during the pandemic, and after six months in the market, it’s still pretty hard to buy a PlayStation 5. 3/
Read 8 tweets
12 May
Lights. Pixels. Action! Lighting a computer-rendered @Pixar movie isn't like lighting a film with real actors and real sets. At #Pixar, the virtual cameras can see an infinite spectrum of light and color. wired.trib.al/qKg0WOa
🎨: Simoul Alva
1/
#Pixar precisely deploys calibrated color and light to convey narrative and emotion. From the near-total absence of green in ‘WALL-E’ (until postapocalyptic robots find the last plant on Earth)
2/
To the luminous orange marigolds that symbolize Miguel's trip to the magical Land of the Dead in ‘Coco’ through the contrast between the cool blue luminosity of the afterlife with the warm, snuggly sepia of New York City in last year's ‘Soul.’
3/
Read 9 tweets
8 May
It's often referred to as the “McDonald’s of psychotherapy.” Vastaamo is the largest network of private mental health providers in Finland, a country with a population of about 5.5 million. 1/ wired.trib.al/vv5Fagr
A security flaw in Vastaamo’s IT systems exposed its entire patient database to the open internet—not just email addresses and social security numbers, but the actual patient notes written by their therapists.
Artist palette: Mark Harris
2/
30,000 former patients are believed to have received ransom demands from the hackers who breached the class B system; leading 25,000 of them to report the attempted extortion to the police. 3/
Read 8 tweets
7 May
Whether you'll be celebrating #MothersDay safely in person or over Zoom, this list is full of good picks on gifts that WIRED reviewers recommend for last minute shoppers: wired.trib.al/Qy2dXNJ

If you buy something using our links, WIRED may earn a commission. 1/
.@Fitbit Charge 4 for $100 ($50 off) - This is the best fitness tracker. It may be affordable, but that doesn't stop the Charge 4 from packing in features you'd typically find in much pricier gadgets. This deal is a match of the best we've seen: wired.trib.al/QAFI3dR 2/
.@1MoreGlobal ColorBuds Wireless Earbuds for $80 ($20 off) - This deal has been running for a couple of weeks, but it's still a good one. These headphones strike a good balance between being affordable, attractive, and sounding great! wired.trib.al/OkQg6bv 3/
Read 6 tweets

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